Search marketing firm BlueGlass Interactive has acquired digital marketing agency Quaturo. Led by Kevin Gibbons, the five-person team will join BlueGlass's 75 employees to build out a presence in the United Kingdom, with the main office based in central London. Financial details were not disclosed.

Google has begun to connect homes in Kansas City, delivering Google routers for high-speed Internet access, along with DVR boxes for those who choose Google TV. The company will give residents free Internet access at today's speeds, but charge $120 monthly for Internet Gigabit speeds. But by the time this service rolls out nationally, not many will have that option. Here's why.

Some 50% of both smartphone and tablet users have made automotive-related purchases through a mobile app or a Web browser, according to findings released Tuesday.

A series of recently published and granted patents provide insight into how Google's engineers view predictive modeling.

Can social networks make consumers spend more money or eat more food? Some believe using Facebook promotes higher self-esteem. When we feel better ourselves, do we follow fewer restrictions? One marketing professor at the Columbia Business School, and another from the University of Pittsburgh conducted research that they say shows how the use of social networks can influence behavior by reducing self-control, concluding that sites like Facebook have a significant influence on judgment.

Jam with Chrome might seem like a simple and entertaining experiment in musical teamwork, but dig a little deeper and marketers will find that this sophisticated Web-based application demonstrates the power of real-time collaboration and ad targeting on the Web.

Google Shopping and product listing ads (PLAs) will play a major role during the gift-giving season, as more consumers research and buy online. comScore released Q3 2012 U.S. retail e-commerce sales Wednesday estimating that consumers spent $41.9 billion online, up 15% compared with the year-ago quarter.

Experian Hitwise GM of Global Research for Experian Marketing Services Bill Tancer points to coupons as the significant buying habit and trend for consumers this holiday season because of the big spike in visits to coupon Web sites seen last November. He tells us that 78% of last year's tracked holiday campaigns offered some form of discount. That's all well and good -- but marketers need to give the trend a little push.

Larry Kim predicts Barack Obama will win the vote for U.S. president "by a landslide" on Nov. 6. The WordStream founder bases his prediction on the amount that Obama and Mitt Romney spent on paid-search advertising for political campaign ads on Google search and the Google Display Network, Web site traffic, and social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) spent $1,190 on average during the past 12 months to improve Web sites and other Web properties, such as social networks and optimized mobile sites -- up from $876 in Q4 2011, according to BIA/Kelsey.